OZ MAGAZINE
MARCH/APRIL 2008 www.ozonline.tv
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We know what keeps you up at night. That’s why Georgia offers a film community that can maximize your budget like no other Southern location. Because we’re a nationally recognized production center, everything you need from pre-pro to post is right here. Plus a brand new set of tax incentives will allow you to put even more of your budget on the screen. Come to Georgia and rest easy. Contact the Film, Video and Music Office at 404-962-4052. Visit georgia.org. Put your dreams in motion.
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OZ CETERA PORTFOLIO SNAGS SNYDER Eddie Snyder will be the new head of advertising at Portfolio Center. He will oversee both the advertising art direction and copyrighting concentrations. Eddie is the executive vice president and chief creative officer for Interpublic Group’s Atlanta based Fitzgerald + CO.
RICKWOOD MELODY BRINGS DOOM Atlanta based composer Chris Rickwood was commissioned by Korean video game developer Blueside, Inc. to compose an original musical score for the action role playing game, “Kingdom Under Fire: Circle of Doom.” To compliment the dark and dream-like environments of the story, Chris created an edgy soundscape using an eclectic blend of orchestral instruments, industrial percussion, and processed sound effects. Published by Microsoft, the game is available for the Xbox 360 game console.
In his post, Snyder has created and implemented customized cross-channel advertising and marketing communications solutions for clients such as Coca-Cola, Durex Condoms, Longhorn Steakhouse, TimeWarner, and Quikrete. He has been involved in education for two decades and has taught at Portfolio Center for 17 years. Eddie Snyder continues his long relationship with Portfolio Center.
WAVEGUIDE FORCES EXECUTIVE DECISIONS WaveGuide Studios recently completed a promotional DVD presentation for Ricoh Americas that formed the centerpiece of a new campaign aimed squarely at Fortune 500 key executives. WaveGuide Studios delivered the complete package, from location scouting to DVD authoring, and literally everything in between, including
extensive 3D animation that illustrated Ricoh’s value proposition in both concrete and abstract ways. According to Eric Lease, WaveGuide Studios senior animator, “Projects like this are especially gratifying for us, because they allow us to take advantage of the real power of animation. Done properly, five seconds of animation can to a better job illustrating an idea than three minutes of verbiage.”
Additionally, Chris Rickwood has been nominated by the Game Audio Network Guild in the category of Best Audio - Other for his work on Adult Swim’s “Nine Billion Miles From Earth” and Cartoon Network’s “Grim’s Downfall.” Currently, Chris Rickwood is working on several online titles for Hi-Rez Studios and Cartoon Network.
MILLMAN BLACK JOINS BREENSMITH Breensmith added two members to their staff. Adam Millman joins as a senior designer and Alyese Black as the director of account services. Millman has seven years of experience in design. He earned his MA in Advertising from University of Texas and came to Atlanta as a freelance designer in the photography and printing industries. Millman most recently worked as a designer at Full Circle Production. After freelancing for a short time for Breensmith he joined the team in December. Alyese Black has worked as an account manager for over six years, spanning several industries, including financial services, software and relocation. She earned her BA in Speech Communications from Miami University (OH) and returned to Atlanta to continue her career.
Actress Michelle Torres receives a tour of Ricoh Business Solution’s network nerve center in a frame from WaveGuide’s DVD.
TINKERBELL’S PLAN B Clay Walker of Plan B Productions helped create a new visual for the Atlanta Ballet’s production of “Peter Pan.” A dazzling HD video segment that was physically projected onto a set piece during the show’s run at the Fox Theatre introduced the character of “Tinkerbell” to the stage. Walker, using a Panasonic HD camera, shot the performers who played Tinkerbell and special effects were composited with Adobe After Effects. Walker worked closely with the Ballet’s artistic director/choreographer John McFall and lighting director Robert Hand, Jr., to create the visuals.
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Alyese Black, director of account services
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OZ CETERA MCRAE BOLSTERS INTERACTIVE
ADVENTURE PHOTO TRAVEL
Christine Jonas and David Buhler have joined McRae’s interactive department as project manager and senior web developer, respectively. Jonas was formerly with John Wieland Homes, Communications 21, and Nationwide Insurance and Financial Services. She brings a wealth of experience in leading interactive marketing projects, SEO/SEM, online promotional campaigns, and e-commerce initiatives. Buhler comes to McRae from Fidelity and Cartoon Network. He specializes in front-end web development, including a specialty in Flash and FLEX design.
integrated marketing agency of record. McRae will develop a comprehensive and interactive components.
Twelve vaccinations, the possibility of contracting malaria or dengue fever, potential kidnappings, and having an armed convoy couldn’t stop photographer Jamey Guy from creating the images Today Magazine (TM) needed. Guy was called to Lagos, Nigeria to capture the extreme poverty, as well as the strong spirit of the Nigerian people. Lagos is not known as a safe haven, and customs are unlike anything in the United States. TM knew they needed a photographer with the ability to get “in” without making anyone uncomfortable. The project time line was only Christine Jonas and David Buhler step into McRae’s interactive department. depict the human struggle that most Nigerians face, but Guy was able to bring out smiles in many of the people.
RAYGUN LAUNCHES
The other goal was to capture a music event that was sponsored by nondenominational church “The House On The Rock.”“The Experience,” with predictions of 100,000 people attending, was a free, all-night religious event for the people of Lagos. 250,000 people showed up. Despite his security, Guy was able to immerse himself in the crowd to take some unbelievable shots.
Raygun has acquired Launch South Pictures. Launch South Pictures, also based in Atlanta, specializes in the production of music videos, commercial spots and corporate projects for a wide range of industries and markets. Raygun owner and creative director, Eric De Fino, believes the acquisition of Launch South will provide Raygun a gateway to enter other markets such as Nashville.
Send all your business news to Ozcetera editor, JAMES FLYNN at ozcetera@ozonline.tv. NO FAXES OR HARDCOPIES, PLEASE. All news should be submitted via email.
with De Fino on numerous projects including a John Mellencamp video, stated
Their ability to integrate visual and verbal imagery in a cinematic way, even with promo projects, is truly unmatched in the market.”
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The agents at Randstad Creative are from the business. That means we know the difference between spot varnish and spot remover, we speak your language, we’ve faced the same deadlines and last minute changes. We’ve been there. And, using our knowledge and experience, we’ve recruited an outstanding portfolio of professional talent available on a freelance, temp-to-hire, or permanent basis. We get to know you — we understand your needs, and we make the right match. It’s what sets us apart and keeps clients coming back. Call us and let’s talk. We’ll help you fill in the blanks.
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ÒÉwe are creative!...Ó
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Graphic Designers • Production Artists • Web Designers • Traffic Managers • Copywriters • Multimedia Specialists • Proofreaders/Editors • Presentation Specialists • Creative Directors •
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OZ CETERA ROB HARDY GOOD IN EMERGENCY
WATCH THE WINNERS
Rob Hardy of Rainforest Films recently expanded his growing repertoire, directing his first episode of ER.
The 2008 Atlanta Marketer of the Year (AMY) Awards gala will be held on Thursday, March 27, 2008 from 5:30 p.m. to 9:45 p.m. in the Egyptian Ballroom at the Fox Theatre.
Airing in January, “Believe in the Unseen” represented Hardy’s first foray into directing for the small screen. To prepare for the task, Hardy enrolled in a directing apprenticeship with John Wells Production (ER, West Wing). Directing an episode of a well-established TV show presented a new challenge for Hardy, who has directed
several feature films for Rainforest Films, a company started by Hardy and production partner Will Packer. Hardy had to find ways to express his creativity within the confines of a set structure. The 8-day shoot was preceded by 8 days of prep work and followed by 4 days of editing. Directing the episode not only helped Hardy expand beyond film constraints, it also qualified him to become a new member of the Director’s Guild of America.
STOKES JOINS INFINITEE infinitee communications, inc. recently hired Amy Stokes as an account executive. Stokes will handle several of infinitee’s Atlantabased clients including Parkway Properties, PM Realty, Providence Bank, Odyssey Financial Advisors, Daza Dance, and Diversitech’s “The Original Grill Pad.”
Amy Stokes joins infinitee as account executive.
Prior to joining infinitee, Stokes served as an account executive for three years at MLT Creative, Inc. While at MLT she managed several accounts including Manheim Auto Auctions, Sto Corp and Manheim Inspection Solutions. Stokes graduated from the University of South Carolina with a BA in Mass Communication and Information Studies.
GALBREATH CHAMPIONS PRSA Carol Galbreath, associate VP-Chapter Communications and Public Relations of The Arthritis Foundation, has been awarded the Georgia Chapter’s Chapter Champion award. She was presented with her certificate and an inscribed pen at the Chapter’s monthly meeting on January 17. Galbreath and her 2007 Phoenix Awards committee managed the judging of the Georgia Chapter’s more than 200 Phoenix Awards entries for the Chapter’s annual awards program. She also oversaw the notification of winners to members and the presentation of awards at the banquet. Galbreath was also an involved Phoenix Award committee member in 2006 and 2005, putting in many long hours working on the numerous details of the competition. Prior to her position at the national offices of The Arthritis Foundation, Galbreath worked in public relations for Manning Selvage & Lee, SciTrek and The Coca-Cola Company in Atlanta. PRSA’S Newest Champion, Carol Galbreath.
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The AMY Awards not only celebrates results-driven marketing programs, but also honors leaders who drive and inspire their teams to excellence and achievement. During the evening, 30 awards will be presented across 10 different group categories representing an array of marketing disciplines -- from branding to search marketing, social media to advertising. Additionally, two individuals will be honored for their leadership and achievement in 2007 with the Agency and Corporate Marketers of the Year awards. Sponsors for the 2008 AMY Awards include: The Titan Agency, Bull’s Eye Creative Communications, THP Graphics Group, FSI, Color and Magic, and AirTran.
FORRESTER WINTERS IN FLORIDA While many spent December doing their Christmas shopping, the staff at Forrester Media had to postpone some of their merriment for a few days while they worked at keeping their clients happy. Early December had BTK Media in the studio. Forrester created a set that included a news desk, 42” LCD monitor and a patterned wall effect for three doctors. This medical video featured the doctors discussing human physiology, incorporated PowerPoint slides, and scripted bullet points to cover the most important topics. Three Sony HVR-Z1U cameras in HiDef mode were used to record the one-hour presentation. Fernbank Museum of Natural History had Forrester visit their archeological dig in South Georgia, which contains numerous historical artifacts from what is thought to be a 17th century Spanish mission. Forrester Media has
covered the excavation’s progress since its early days. Staff cameraman Keith Krystofiak and Mike Forrester traveled to Tallahassee, FL for Bloomberg Television to cover the problems arising from the State of Florida’s investment in subprime mortgages and the resulting losses. They conducted interviews in Tallahassee with the State’s CFO. In Orlando they spoke with the Orange County comptroller. And in Perry and Monticello, they interviewed local government officials about the losses they face. Bloomberg also had Krystofiak and Forrester shoot three days in south Florida, covering local efforts to mitigate beach erosion from summer storms. Miami Beach is storing excess sand near the beach and is now able to simply return the beach to nearperfect condition at the end of each hurricane season.
SLEMP SHOOTS ON THE FLY Atlanta photographer and aviation enthusiast John Slemp has committed to an exhibitor’s booth at the 2008 Sun ‘n Fun Fly-In in Lakeland, Florida. Held annually, this year’s event will take place from 8-13 April, at the Lakeland Linder Regional Airport, and will feature aircraft, vendors, and organizations associated with general aviation from across the USA. Slemp’s work features black and white images that depict his classic interpretation of historic flying machines such as the Douglas DC-3, the Ryan ST, and the Ford Tri-Motor. The images express Slemp’s fascination with aircraft and his appreciation of aerodynamic principles. “All aircraft are physical compromises that strive to strike the perfect balance between efficiency and payload, speed and range, durability and cost,” he says.
CRAWFORD’S INDEPENDENT SPIRIT Crawford Post Production was chosen by Tentmakers Entertainment in Charlotte, NC to provide post services for the independent film “A Man Named Pearl.” Its debut, in select theaters across the U.S. in August 2007, inspired many audiences with the true story of Pearl Fryar, a self-taught topiary gardener in South Carolina. Senior editor Ron Heidt, senior colorist DC Cardinali, HD conversion specialist Sheri Martin and sound designer/mixer Steve Warner of Crawford’s creative team were Pearl Fryar and Jon Voight backstage at the Heartland Film Festival. Photo taken by Monica Galloway. responsible for online editing, color correction, HD conversion, titling, sound design and final mix for the film. It has garnered both the Crystal Heart and Audience Choice Award given at the Heartland Film Festival. “A Man Named Pearl” was re-released in February by Shadow Distribution, based in Waterville, ME.
LAB EXPERIMENTS WITH MOVIE MARKETING MOGUL LAB 601 recently added Laurie Eddings as business development manager. Eddings has over ten years of experience in the entertainment industry, most recently as Vice President of Market Research at The Weinstein Company in New York. Eddings began her career with Miramax Films in New York City, where she developed expertise in the industry starting in production and research and continuing into marketing analytics and distribution. While at Miramax, she helped research, develop and execute the marketing strategies for a variety of films including: “Shakespeare in Love,” “Chocolat,” “Chicago,” “Gangs of New York,” “The Hours,” “Finding Neverland,” “Kill Bill Vol. 1 & 2,” and the “Spy Kids,” “Scream” and “Scary Movie” franchises. In 2005 Miramax co-founders, Co-Chairmen Bob and Harvey Weinstein, split from the Walt Disney Company and handpicked Eddings to establish and run the market research department at their new venture, The Weinstein Company. Starting at the script level through release, Eddings directed all market research activities for such films as “The Matador,” “Transamerica,” “Hoodwinked,” “Lucky Number Slevin,” “Clerks II,” “Grindhouse,” and “The Nanny Diaries.”
Discover Atlanta’s premier source for creative and marketing talent.
Laurie Eddings joins LAB 601 as business development manager.
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OZ CETETERA C WEB SITE CREATES HUNGER PANGS Kroger.com, the website for The Kroger Co., now has a new look and features a number of tools and services designed to enhance its customers’ shopping experience and save them time and money, thanks to Avenue A | Razorfish. The revamped website has been dramatically updated so that it is easier for customers to navigate. In addition to an updated look, several tools have been added. Visitors to the site will be able to view interactive weekly circular ads that are unique to their select Kroger location, view a database of over 1,000 recipes, create shopping lists, print money-saving coupons and request samples of their favorite products. Customers can also shop for gifts such as flowers and gift cards in the gift center.
TRAILER GALS HEAD FOR VH1 eclipse client Trailer Gals won VH1’s “eCritic” contest in December. Trailer Gals won a trip to Santa Monica for the 13th Annual Critics’ Choice Awards and a voting ballot to cast their votes on the nominees. Trailer Gals Siobhan Price and AnChi Pho came to eclipse for help with their movie review podcast. Using blue screen and After Effects, Adam Plouff designed and created an edgy show open that captures the fun spirit of the Trailer Gals. Using Final Cut Studio 2, Plouff edited the Juno, Superbad and Transformers reviews, the last of which won VH1’s eCritic contest. Trailer Gals is a movie review podcast that is similar to Siskel and Ebert, except for the fact that they’re girls, they’re young and they’re ultra-hip.
LITTLE LANDS AT HAYSLETT Hayslett Group LLC has hired Katie Little as the company’s newest account executive. Little graduated from the University of Georgia in 2007 with a degree in public relations. Little’s past experience includes strategic plan development, event planning and communications research.
Katie Little, account executive, Hayslett Group.
KLEBER’S WORK NOT DOWN THE DRAIN Gerber chose Kleber & Associates as its new integrated communications partner.
exceed the EPA’s WaterSense criteria for water-conserving toilets by offering just 1.1 gallons per flush (gpf).
This year, Gerber is launching several new products including the new Logan Square™ (vitreous china) Suite and the Toilet Pak, a comprehensive package containing all parts needed for easy toilet installation: tank, bowl, toilet seat, wax ring and flange bolts. Furthermore, the company is enhancing its Ultra Flush toilet collection to
“K&A has the extensive experience and market knowledge essential in a communications partner,” comments Kevin McJoynt, director of marketing for Gerber. “Its multi-faceted, unique marketing approach is key to the success of Gerber’s latest product launches and new marketing and sales strategies and tactics.”
LOWDEN KEEPS CURRENT Photographer Scott Lowden has not abandoned his distinctive shooting style, but he has updated everything from his website, including his logo. Lowden’s new website was designed by Current, Inc. and programmed by Toolbox 9, both of Atlanta. The crisp new site features a more simple and elegant design along with interactive navigation. The site also features a new font which is actually the photographer’s own handwriting. There’s also a new photo blog on the site where Lowden shares shots from recent projects, travel pics, glimpses behind-the-scenes and more.
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Trailer Gals Siobhan Price and AnChi Pho give the thumbs up to VH1’s eCritic awards.
FEINBERG AND SIEGEL LENS IN ATLANTA A group of Atlanta filmmakers, led by Ken Feinberg and Aron Siegel, produced “Foreign Exchange,” a 30-minute comedy about a foreign exchange student from Sweden who comes to live with an American family. The ambitious schedule was shot in only four days. Directed by Feinberg and produced by Siegel, this accomplishment was achieved with the help of one of the first RED cameras in the world, the latest in cutting edge film technology. Joe Kleber of Red Acquisition Warehouse (RAW), who has teamed on several previous projects with DP Jim McKinney, provided the camera. The RED camera shoots Super35mm motion picture photography, but records it digitally direct to a hard drive instead of using film or tape. The film stars Atlanta actors London Kayne, Susanna Lewis, Josh Caudill, Jeff Rose, Angie Harrell, Chandler George Brown, Amanda Facemire, Todd Denson, Tommy Dorfman, and Minnie Tee. The final production will be submitted to the May 2008 Cannes Film Festival in France.
Local talent Josh Caudill and Londyn Kayne react to their Swedish guest’s different ways in “Foreign Exchange.”
During pre-production, the filmmakers heard more than once that shooting 30 minutes in 4 days was admirably ambitious but not realistic; however; the team of Feinberg, McKinney, Siegel and First Assistant Director Evans “Griff ” Griffin, helped “Foreign Exchange” keep to its 12-hour per day schedule. The last day had 38 camera set-ups and 111 takes for 11 scenes. Chris Antignane served as gaffer and Levi Loy worked as the key grip. Aron Siegel mixed the audio and Gretchen Mathis and Sarah Falls designed the make-up and costumes respectively. Newly elected Women in Film president Melissa Randle contributed as script supervisor for the first 3 days and Reagan Brandon came aboard for the final day of shooting. Damon Bartraw created the production design and Kevin McKnight took the still photographs. “Foreign Exchange” is being edited by Jerry Adams with post audio production and scoring by Terry Downtain. The original script was written by Lyndzey Kayne and Ken Feinberg.
DP Jim McKinney focuses the RED camera as director Ken Feinberg gives the actors performance notes.
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Jerry Fuchs of Fooksie, LLC was contacted recently by the Canadian AAA hockey team the Sask-Itoba Rangers to create a mascot/ logo for their team. They needed everything finished in three days. Fuchs is experienced in creating hockey-related graphics, having teamed up with a friend to design Burny the Dragon for the now defunct Atlanta Knights. After discussing the rough idea of a terrier character, he created the character over a weekend’s time. He drew the character on paper, did clean-up in Flash, and then imported it into Photoshop to do the last bit of tweaking. Hockey pucks, jerseys, and sweat suits featuring the new mascot will be available later this year.
ECG AND CINEMA CONCEPTS GO KABOOM! Atlanta won the Playful City USA contest and is the recipient of the $25,000 grant from KaBOOM!. The award was determined by weighing various components: 30% was determined by a grant video and online voting, and the other 70% was determined by evaluating the proposal submitted. When the City of Atlanta Department of Parks, Recreation and Cultural Affairs needed to produce a grant video, they came to Stewart Harnell of Cinema Concepts, who generously offered to finance the project and provide all the post-production in-house. He in turn called Jason Marriccini at ECG Productions to see if they would be would be interested in producing the video. ECG jumped onboard, shooting HD footage for 5 days in and around the metro area with a number of prominent Atlantans like Mayor Shirley Franklin and Dominique Wilkins, as well as local landmarks. The $25,000 will go to the Atlanta Taskforce on Play’s “ATOP 2010” initiative, a grassroots effort to have an art and tree-filled playspace near every child in the City by Newestwill Champion, the end ofPRSA’S 2010. ATOP develop and train new community groups and will forge Carol Galbreath. partnerships with organizations of all kinds all over Atlanta in order to make this huge challenge a reality that everyone can be a part of. The City of Atlanta Department of Parks and Recreation and Atlanta Taskforce on Play partnered with Cinema Concepts and ECG Productions to produce the video.
PERSUASION GENERATES WEB SALES Atlanta-based Perkins Electric Company secured Persuasion Communications to develop their new web site. The e-commerce site was designed to help expand the Perkins Electric enterprise and help sell residential, commercial and portable emergency generators nationally.
MUSIC FROM SOAPBOX Soapbox Music, led by Darin Prindle, recently completed the third solo album for artist Deeyah. Her album was a collaboration with artist Bob James, Andy Summers (guitarist from The Police) and Nils Petter Molvær. The album is entitled “Ataraxis” and can be purchased on iTunes. Also, Soapbox has joined forces with Keith Boyd and Alex Ragland to form Theory. Theory provides full service animation, design and visual EFX for broadcast, film and new media. In other news, film and video editor Baco Bryles and audio engineer and sound designer J.C. Richardson completed the show launch for “George of the Jungle” on Cartoon Network, along with associate producer Matt Shapiro. Finally, sound designer and audio engineer Nikos Mavrommatis recently finished the theme song for the new Indie movie “Finding Me,” directed by Roger Omeus. The track is entitled “Making Me High – Nikos feat K’bana” and is available on Soulkandi South Africa on CD. 12
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POGO DIRECTORS HOPPING
HAPPY 10TH TO CITYLINE
Pogo Pictures has retooled their website with a fresh new look. The sleek new design is streamlined for easier access to director reels and featured spots. Visitors can download the director reels in high-resolution or grab an on-the-go version for their iPods.
Cityline Media Group (CMG) celebrated their ten-year anniversary this February. Over the past decade, CMG has produced innovative and award-winning graphic design work for corporations, celebrities, fashion lines, music festivals and more. Past and current CMG clients include: Moby; Dennis Rodman; BMI; 95.5 The Beat; WNNX-99X; Leader Publishing; TurnerSouth; Hard Rock Café Atlanta; the Buffalo Bills; Clear Channel Entertainment; Hampton Inns; Sweetwater Brewery; StratoComm; Hendon Properties; Proof of the Pudding; AT&T Classic; and Morgan Stanley.
In other news, Eric Mower Associates teamed with Director/DP Steve Colby on a spot for SunTrust. It features a single 30-second steadicam shot filmed in historic downtown Madison, Georgia. The spot is part of the SunTrust “My Cause” campaign advocating community involvement. Finally, Pogo recently transformed a soundstage into a tropical paradise to shoot two web spots for leading computer hardware reseller CDW. JWT Atlanta recruited Pogo’s Zach Freyer to direct.
Pogo Director/DP Steve Colby on set in Madison, GA.
STRATEGIC ALLIANCE PRECEDES GERMAN MISSION Solomon Says and Deardorff Communications, both Atlanta-based integrated communications agencies, recently formed a strategic alliance to make the most of their respective strengths in creative direction, account management, interactive design, research and branding, bringing even more innovative solutions to their clients going forward. The collaboration will enable the two agencies to offer their clients increased marketing expertise and a broader range of services. Solomon Says and Deardorff have also partnered with the Vienna International Exchange Corporation (VIE). VIE, based in Vienna, Austria with offices in Atlanta, Georgia, is an international exchange organization that encourages and engrosses participants in the culture of the central region of Europe, known as Centrope, giving them the opportunity to learn the German language and Viennese culture.
HA N T R E T T E B IS N IO T C U D O OU R M ED IA PR OU R M A R KET ING. So maybe you could call us sometime. If you feel like it. 770.939.2004 Oh... and we have a website. waveguidestudios.com FILM & HD PRODUCTION | TV & RADIO SP OTS | HD & SD POST | MA YA 3D UNLIMITED ANIM ATION / GRAPHICS | SOUN D DESIGN | PRO TOOLS HD ACCEL AUDI O
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OZ COLUMN
VOICES
WYSIWYG (what you see is what you give) By Juan-Carlos Fernandez
There is an unfinished discussion about what vernacular design should be and what can be done with it. In countries like mine –Mexico–, where design sometimes have the aspiration of being “global”, we tend to forget the myriad of symbols available to make something feel world class while maintaining a local offering. And if we resonate with the claim that countries are losing personality on adapting foreign cultures, well, it is important to unearth what the isolated past of regions and countries have to offer. Juan-Carlos Fernandez was born and raised in Mexico City. He studied Graphic Design at Universidad Iberoamericana and worked at Design Center / Zimat for three years as Design Director. He moved to Pasadena, California in 1991 to conduct postgraduate studies on corporate identity at ArtCenter College of Design. In 1993 he moved to New York to work as Design Director at Addison. And two years later, he was hired by Siegel & Gale to become Vice President and Design Director. While in New York, he studied Marketing at New York University. In 1999, he returned to Mexico and founded Ideograma (ideograma.com), a corporate identity consultancy based in Cuernavaca. Juan Carlos is the Creative Director. The identity work by Ideograma ranges from governments, banks, airlines, chocolates, and soaps. www.ideograma.com
The point is simple, it is not a matter of negating what the world has to offer, but what we can offer to the world as wonderful cultures with beautiful and meaningful visual vocabularies. Being in the design business in a global world, we tend to think that our task as designers is to reflect the mantra of “world standards”, and we end-up pretending to create “world graphics”. The result is poor, because global graphics may sometimes mean anodyne stuff. These days, It takes some time to discover the origin of some products. Emblematic country brands may carry now a “made in China”, “assembled in Vietnam” or “designed in …” (“designed” being a proud distractive to insinuate the manufacturing location is not as important as the conception cradle). Brands then become more related to the origin of the idea than to the place where the product really comes from. The item is then associated with where the idea comes from, not the tangible object you’re getting. Places where ideas happen can be pinpointed on a world map, but how on earth can we claim to have an original idea if we all see the same books, the same Internet sites and the same TV programs? Every “Main Street” in any given city in the planet has now the same shops and fast food restaurants. If we all share common thoughts now, we can guess that local interpretation has something to do with it because of the individual capacity that the same information can trigger a previously non-existing idea. Take language, for example, everything we perceive is filtered through the words we know, every word has attached many images, many stories, and each one of them is connected to a huge net of symbolism that each one of us has created
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through time, books, magazines, movies, trips and conversations. Just like a “Visual Thesaurus”, our mind interacts with concentric topics moving fluidly as we think. The relationships between these ideas differ from mind to mind, from experience to experience, and from culture to culture. Magic is created when we combine our particular view –our family’s idiolect, the jokes we know, and the movies we’ve seen– with the new problem we face. We are forced then to make connections, to see things from a new perspective, but it is only through the things we know that we can look into the problem. Nothing comes from nothing, and we have to depart from somewhere. It is what we know, what we feel, and what we think is good for the world which creates the platform where we build on. The synergistic power created from what we know is amazing. It is clear to me that the most creative moments in my life have been when I’ve been simultaneously involved with many things. I remember once, while attending a creative writing workshop, I had to write a poem or a short story and the design problems I faced at the office were solved with unprecedented innovation. I was open to new concepts, the words became images, and while forced to think in terms of language, there was always a direct translation applicable to a design requirement. The same thing happens with travel, the moment you come back from a trip you are more open to create unique solutions. If we can think of ourselves as unique incubators of concepts, whose particular mixtures of backgrounds, preferences and memories can trigger unique solutions, the more reasons there are for us to be connected to the world and, at the same time, to the particular place we happen to be in. There’s always something around us that will become part of our dictionary, part of our own vocabulary, and that particular amalgam of concepts is what each one of us can offer. I guess all I mean is: inspiration comes from within, and just as a sock, what’s left inside after you take it off is the earth of the places you’ve been to.
PHOTOGRAPHY GALLERY
2008 NOW SHOWING JON KOWNACKI
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MICHELLE CONSUEGRA
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LUCKY FISH
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STUDIO FITZ
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IAIN BAGWELL
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NELDA MAYS
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SCOTT LOWDEN
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BON PHOTOGRAPHY
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Jon Kownacki Jon Kownacki, Inc. Post Office Box 5681 Atlanta, GA 31107-0681 USA www.jonkownacki.com jon@jonkownacki.com Phone: 404-808-2755
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My production crew and I create striking, dramatic images for some of the world’s best known brands - specializing in consumer home products, large sets, lifestyle, and still life photography. With top of the line digital equipment, an 8000 square foot studio, in-house prepress, and carpentry shop, my studio can provide complete production support for all types of projects. I have been shooting digitally for over 14 years. Having embraced the technology many years ago a technology that most Photographers have only just recently adopted. I work from a strong background in Prepress and Printing technologies; insuring seamless and beautiful press-ready images. Many years of experimentation with lighting techniques and situations have helped to evolve my commercial work into much more than the typical. Giving me the reputation as someone who will master the situation and create beautiful work, taking images way beyond the constraints of the corporate world. Recent work can be viewed at www.jonkownacki.com creative real estate www.ozonline.tv 1 7
MICHELLE CONSUEGRA
Michelle Consuegra is a working Atlanta photographer, she has a love for the artistry of capturing life and all of its uniqueness. From the coast of spain to a small cafe in Roswell, Georgia, Michelle photographs in an artfulness that creates the big picture without forgetting the little details.
1 8 creative real estate www.ozonline.tv
Michelle Consuegra www.illuminatephotography.net 404.993.1564 mconsuegra@mac.com
STUDIO FITZ
Fitz Randolph is president/ photographer for Studio Fitz, Inc., now in it’s 29th year. The studio has worked with AD agencies in Atlanta and New York, and had assignments with IBM, Royal Caribbean Cruise Lines, Coca-Cola, Delta Air Lines, Macy’s, Rich’s, Storehouse, Publix and others. Advertising and commercial photography have occupied his working hours, but after hours, on vacation or walking around the block, he’s always looking for something that jumps out and catches his eye. Fitz continues his portrait work, as well as a wide range of ongoing assignments. New to Studio Fitz is video production, now being offered, particularly for use promoting on YouTube. Fitz is starting to get assignments for videos from individual artists as well as retail and other organizations. 2 0 creative real estate www.ozonline.tv
Studio Fitz, Inc. 325 Elizabeth St. NE Atlanta, Ga. 30307 404-523-2003 fitzatlanta@mindspring.com studiofitz.com YouTube; d65fitzer
IAIN BAGWELL Ian Bagwell
With 20 years experience in both USA & UK Iain can produce and shoot any kind of food project both still and TV. He has a dedicated team of assistants, food stylists and prop stylists on hand in Atlanta, New York or London.
iain bagwell food photography www.iainbagwell.com info@iainbagwell.com
Fully equipped 5000 sq ft studio with full daylight and blackout as well as full kitchen. Client’s: Publix, Melitta, Emerill’s, Cooking Light, Weight Watchers, South African Airlines, Better Homes and Gardens, BBC, Sainsbury’s Supermarkets, Tesco Supermarkets, Safeway Supermarkets, Sunset Magazine, Diabetic Living, Womans Day, Ladies Home Journal, Parade Magazine, Hearst Magazines, Dorling Kindersley, Simon & Schuster etc
Iain Bagwell photography represented by Holly@Repgirl.com
creative real estate www.ozonline.tv 2 1
NELDA MAYS
Corporate
Nelda Mays
Healthcare Business to Business
nelda@neldamaysphoto.com www.neldamaysphoto.com
Environmental Portraits
404-499-9700
2 2 creative real estate www.ozonline.tv
SCOTT LOWDEN
I capture the spirit of life with an eye for style, I call it life fashionography. Striving to create images that capture a novel way of seeing, I work towards a graphic vignette, trusting collaboration, invention, and a dose of serendipity to help the viewer discover emotion and energy in the world around them.
Scott Lowden Photography 634 N Highland Avenue Atlanta, Ga. 30306 404.873.6768 scottlowden.com represented by Holly@Repgirl.com
creative real estate www.ozonline.tv 2 3
BRIDGET ONEILL
I have a true passion for photography that can enhance any special event, capture the innocence of children, and make your passion jump out at your audience. I am compelled to document the imprint that individuals leave on their community, as well as the ravages of time on lasting structures. This is why some say that I capture the beauty in what may be labelled “ordinary.�
2 4 creative real estate www.ozonline.tv
BON photography
Bridget ONeill 678-984-6403 www.BONphotography.com bonphotography@gmail.com
NATHAN BOLSTER Nathan Bolster
People + Product + Location: Together Photographer Nathan Bolster finds inspiration from daily life, capturing moments with a spirited combination of creativity and brand awareness. Nathan creates an engaging, congenial atmosphere, producing a connection between people and product. Whether working in his hometown of Cabbagetown/Atlanta or traveling, Nathan can seamlessly join concept and image into one strong, cohesive and creative statement.
Bolster Photography 900 Dekalb Avenue Atlanta, GA 30307 404.584.1841 nathan@bolsterphoto.com www.bolsterphoto.com
creative real estate www.ozonline.tv 2 5
ALFEO DIXON
Disclaimer:
Alfeo Dixon
Genetically passionate for shooting,
404.456.6957 alfeo@alfeo.com www.alfeo.com
may cause creativity to blossom.
CINE & PRINT PHOTOGRAPHY
2 6 creative real estate www.ozonline.tv
JERRY SIEGEL
Jerry Siegel has worked as a corporate and advertising photographer in Atlanta for over 20 years. Specializing in photographing people and portraiture, Jerry is equally comfortable on location or in his studio. At The Maine Photographic Workshops in July of 1997, renown master photographer Arnold Newman referred to Siegel’s work “This is how it should be done. This is not only the work of a professional, but the work of an artist.” Jerry is a current member of ASMP.
Jerry Siegel 812 Lambert Drive Suite B Atlanta, GA 30324
Clients include McKenna, Long & Aldridge, Morris Manning and Martin, Wellstar Health System, The Coca-Cola Company, MetLife, Equifax, BellSouth and American Cancer Society.
404-352-8200
Jerry’s fine art photography can be seen in the permanent collections of several museums including The Museum of Contemporary Art in Atlanta, The Ogden Museum of Southern Art in New Orleans, The Telfair Museum’s Jepson Center for the Arts in Savannah, Jule Collins Smith Museum in Auburn, AL, and the Montgomery Museum of Fine Arts.
http://jerrysiegel.com/ jerry@jerrysiegel.com
creative real estate www.ozonline.tv 2 7
Oz Libris
BOOKS BY LOCAL CREATIVES
Excellence in Brand Advertising by: Jim Osterman The American business landscape is crowded with advertising agencies that can take a product to market. View the work of top-notch agencies that drive consumers to the marketplace with an urgent need to buy a particular brand, even though it may be adjacent to a comparable product costing less. Excellence in Brand Advertising is a “must-read” for both agencies and clients involved in retail brand advertising. $50.00 to order: www.visualreference.com/store website: www.visualreference.com
How to Run Your Business Like a Girl: Successful Strategies from Entrepreneurial Women Who Made It Happen by: Elizabeth Cogswell Baskin This insider’s tour of women-owned businesses provides first-hand accounts of how successful female entrepreneurs manage their companies, from startup to staffing to the possibility of selling out --and shows readers how to have a great business and a great life, at the same time. $14.95 to order: Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Borders website: www.runyourbusinesslikeagirl.com
Thinking for a Living by Joey Reiman In this ground-breaking, paradigm-shifting book, creative visionary Joey Reiman presents a convincing argument for the value of raw ideas. “Today currency is the idea,” says Reiman, “but tomorrow ideas will be the currency.” This is not just a story of one man’s success. Thinking for a Living is a guidebook for every entrepreneur and every business. $22.95 to order: Amazon.com, Rowmanlittlefield.com, Borders.com & BarnesandNoble.com Website: www.thinkbrighthouse.com
The Origin Of Brands by Al & Laura Ries Everybody talks about “convergence,” but the real opportunity lies in the opposite direction, “divergence.” Every category eventually diverges creating endless opportunities to build new brands. The telephone diverged into regular phones and cellphones, creating an opportunity for Nokia. The mainframe computer diverged creating opportunities for Apple, Dell, Hewlett-Packard and others. $14.95 to order: Bookstores or Amazon.com. website: www.ries.com
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OZ MAGAZINE www.ozonline.tv
Oz Oz Libris Libris
BOOKS BY LOCAL CREATIVES
“Dear Jerk:” Letters from the Mailbox of Patrick Scullin by: Patrick Scullin, Adman/Wordsmitty, Ames Scullin O’Haire A collection of parody letters from companies in response to alleged outrageous behavior of the author. “Dear Jerk” is lol sophomoric humor at its finest. Like Letterman, Conan? Here’s the cheese. Get your handmade copy, $10, S&H included. Interested? Write pscullin@asoy.com, put “Dear Jerk” in subject line. Instructions will follow.
Get Rich Playing Games by: Scott Steinberg The first book to offer everything needed to go from rags to riches in the fabulous, star-studded videogame industry is here -- are you ready to nail the ultimate high score? From making your own hit game to rocketing up the corporate ranks or turning pro,the secrets lie inside! $17.95 to order: Amazon.com, BarnesAndNoble.com, Lulu.com website: www.getrichgaming.com
Wraith by: Phaedra Weldon First in an excitingly different and new paranormal series. Zoë Martinique has turned her unusual ability into a career. When she’s traveling, she can’t be seen which makes her an ideal professional snoop. Industrial espionage, surveillance, whatever. But one night things get out of hand while she’s out-of-body. She witnesses a murder and a soul stealing, and discovers she has unwelcome company: Trench-Coat, a ghostly killer who can see and hurt her. Teaming up with a blue-eyed police detective, she tries to solve the case and improve her love life. She also enlists the support of her psychic mother and the ghostly couple who haunt her house. And with murderers, kidnappers, and a desperate ex-porn star involved, Zoë needs all the help she can get.
$14.00 to order: Borders, Barnes and Noble, Amazon, Powell’s website: www.phaedraweldon.com
Gin, Incense and Deacon Blues by: Jeff Snowden, Marketing Strategy Consultant Snowden answers some of marketing’s most elusive questions in a series of essays that expound his thoughts on the brand experience, the follies of fad marketing, how a scorpion can beat a hedgehog, the wisdom found in challenging the US Army with stale bread and why you should keep an eye on your employees’ shoes. $14.99 or $30,000 consulting contract. to order: Amazon, assorted shady bookstores. website: www.sn-ta.com Free Download of book, Heck Yes!
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OZ COLUMN
Market Talk
By Brent Dey
Think Global, Act Local In the Marketplace of Ideas, all Politics are Local There’s an old saying that all politics are local, and nothing has proven that point quite like the 2008 primary elections. As the primary progressed, each new vote in each new district put a brand new face at the head of each political party. As this is written, the Republican field has narrowed by one candidate when Mitt Romney stepped out. On the Democrat side, it’s still a horse race. After Super Tuesday, Barack Obama leads Hillary Clinton by 13 delegates, which, like in horseshoes, is close enough. The presidential primary is generating more excitement than the Super Bowl . . . and it’s been a heck of a lot of fun to watch. Good Politics, Great Sports The excitement is there, because this is the first election to reflect the true pulse of a new century. Sure, we had elections in 2000 and 2004, but they were more indicative of a monolithic, 20th century way of thinking. In 2000, two giant political figures representing giant political dynasties were given a clear path to the White House, virtually uncontested. Candidates were chosen much the way people have chosen products over the past sixty years – by name recognition and name recognition alone. Look what that got us. This time, upstarts with names like Mike Huckabee and Barack Obama made serious inroads by thinking outside the box, staying positive, using new technology and taking their campaigns local. Example? Realizing that 17-year olds would be able to vote in the Iowa Caucus, Barack Obama’s team courted high school students. Instead of spending time with city council members, they sat in on student council meetings. He did this while trailing Clinton and ended up with a resounding victory, driven primarily by youthful voters.
Mike Huckabee won Iowa by staying close to his evangelical base. He was able to extend support outside of that demographic later in the campaign by playing down stereotypes that have previously sunk evangelicals and staying focused on policy while his rivals John McCain and Mitt Romney took personal swipes at each other during the Republican debates. Choice: What a Concept! As this article goes to press, we’re left with four candidates – three of which have a serious shot at the White House. As a group, the candidates represent the most vibrant range of demographics and interests we have ever had at this stage of the electoral process. It’s the first panel of presidential candidates that truly look like the face of America. Watching how the trek to November plays out should be as interesting to marketers as it will be to political pundits. Here are some trends that appear to be emerging: •
Messages Can be Customized
Countless media outlets allow candidates (and corporations) to tailor messages, highlighting messages that appeal to different demographics. As marketers, we already know that, but how it was used is what’s interesting: smart candidates used technology to accentuate and clarify positions. Not-so-smart candidates used it for pandering . . . or changing their core beliefs . . . in an attempt to manipulate coveted demographics. •
Sincerity Counts
New technology allows candidates to tailor messages, but it also gives watchdogs tools to keep them honest. Mitt Romney cultivated his conservative image when it polled well, but he was undermined when clips of him touting his moderate credentials in various debates from 1992 to 2002 were circulated on YouTube. •
Going Negative Hurts
For years, conventional campaign wisdom in Washington has been to “go negative, and go negative early.” This strategy, which helped Karl Rove win South Carolina in 2000, backfired for the Clintons in the same state this time around.
It could be because the Clintons were so clumsy executing it, or it could be that voters are wise to it and tired of it. In any case, the new adage is to stay positive. •
Staying Focused Pays Off
While messages can be customized, you still need to have a core message that your audience can come back to. Voters know that Hillary Clinton will be “ready on day one,” because she skillfully works that line into debates and speeches. Voters know where McCain stands because he hasn’t wavered, even when it would have been convenient to do so. The True Face of America? As the final batch of candidates shows, there is a lot of diversity in America, which means there are a lot of markets to explore. There can only be one president, which is unfortunate, because all four candidates show characteristics of leadership that are needed now . . . can’t we have them all? In the diversity they represent there lies a lot of opportunity for smart companies willing to follow the trends of a culture that is fragmenting into targeted demographics and viewpoints. America is a big country, and for too long it’s been marketed to as one giant mass. Smart companies are able to differentiate their product lines to meet the needs of various demographics. Smart companies will also be honest about what their products offer, knowing that technology will allow customers to spread their dissatisfaction with dishonesty or poor service soon enough. Remember Enron? Since we are such a big country, dissatisfaction leaves room for an upstart to come in and steal the show. Hopefully, this campaign, which has taken localized issues and made them national fodder, is the first light of where the American consumer is headed. Marketing can be more than a tool of manipulation and presidential campaigns can be more than opportunities to sling mud at an opponent. Both can be windows into the true soul of our country, which at its core is generous, soulful, vibrant, and full of opportunity to those who pursue it honestly.
Brent Dey is a writer, producer and creative thinker specializing in effective business communications for America’s best-loved brands. Brent’s work can be seen online at www.brentdey.com and he can be reached by dialing (404) 668-5819. 32
OZ MAGAZINE www.ozonline.tv
BY:
A
CROUS R E F I JENN
E
gainst an economic backdrop splashed with interest
rate cuts, stock market dives and unemployment lows, there’s a steady buzz emanating from Atlanta. It’s the sound of voices. Who’s talking? The behind-the-scenes actors are staying busy and making money. You may have heard Robin Bittman, a promo voice for Fox Sports Net, ION Television and Turner Classic Movies. Originally from New York and represented by the Atlas Talent Agency in New York and locally by other agents, she now resides in Atlanta and resonates for everything from network television promos and commercials to narrating shows, documentaries and video. Newsweek has described her voice as having “the cool of Lauren Bacall.”
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“Business has been good and I consider myself to be very lucky to say that,” Bittman said in a recent interview.
time in the business,” Paul said. “Voice over professionals that you hear every day nationally on Fox, NBC, they don’t live in New York. They live in Florida. They live wherever they want.”
“It has always been a competitive business and has gotten more so because it is more national now,” she said. “Due to technology, an agency, TV station or corporation can go anywhere to get a voice. The other side, of course, is now the voiceover talent can also work for anyone, anywhere and are not limited by where they live.”
Working in a small-town picturesque mountain community hasn’t hurt Paul’s business at all. His client list includes Walt Disney, Coke, Turner, Calvin Klein, American Express, HBO and Showtime, to name a few. His home studio -- “available 24/7” -- serves as a hub for his daily ISDN and MB3 voice business.
Most recently Bittman worked on a national campaign for FOX’s Mike & Juliet Show. She is also doing voice work for a presidential political campaign. “I have done commercials that were developed only for the Internet,” she said, pointing to an industry surge in Web-related work, “and I consistently do narrations for companies on the Internet. The vast number of cable networks now also expands opportunities.” You’ll find Richard Hutchison on any short list of talents to go to in the Atlanta area. A voiceover veteran in his own right, he now heads a voice talent agency, RSH Management, that covers all areas of television voiceovers, radio and industrial film, representing professional voice talent from across the country.
“A lot of people don’t realize there are hundreds of talented individuals right here in Atlanta they could hire,” Paul said. Dick Klinger (top) Robin Bittman in the studio
It also helps to be ready and able to handle last-minute calls in 24 hours, Hutchison said, because that’s often the way it goes. It’s “just a question of getting the job done,” he said. “The biggest challenge is providing good service all the time.”
“My Atlanta talent seems to be getting the majority of the work I have,” Hutchison said. “The work is growing. Atlanta is not a small town anymore. There aren’t as many ad agencies (as in New York or Los Angeles), but there are people here who do voiceovers all the time.”
Doug Paul is reaping the benefits of technology. After working in the major markets during his 25 years in the business, Paul has packed up shop and moved his family to a vineyard in the North Georgia mountains. Now he records copy from “the farm” via a vocal booth dedicated to voiceover work, and from the road, using a mobile audio kit.
Hutchison went into business for himself in 2002. Commercials represent the lion’s share of his work, while industrial narration makes up about 20 percent.
“I record on the spot and then upload the audio,” Paul said. “Everything recorded for The River (97.1 FM) is done digitally and sent over the Internet, same for Peachtree TV.”
“Business has been good despite the economy,” he said. “Can’t complain.”
In Paul’s view, computers have made it very easy for professionals to stay in the game. Twenty years ago, for example, he might have flown to Richmond to record a spot for a marketing agency. Today, he just uploads the MP3.
He said the keys to growing his stable of clients, which includes ad agencies, production shops and recording studios, are “to take care of the client, treat them with respect and do your job well.”
“It’s long distance now. It’s a very interesting
Technology has opened up the competition to the world. Much of the work is through the Internet – and that can be good and bad. Pseudo voiceover “agencies” that market only on the Internet may offer prices for voiceover talent that are considerably lower than a normal talent agency. It’s a veritable vocal rummage sale. Certainly not all companies want to sift through a bargain bin to select their talent, but some will. Consequently, it’s harder for fullservice agencies to book their talent. One such avenue is Voicebank, where an ad agency or client can post an audition for a radio or TV spot and get back reads from talent all over the country. Atlanta talent Dick Klinger recently did a spot for an insurance company in Minneapolis. He won the spot via a Voicebank audition. “I asked the ad agency producer how many people he listened to,” Klinger said. “He said I was No. 97. So it’s just doing what I do, voicing it my own individual way, and seeing if they buy it.” The majority of Klinger’s work comes from longtime, loyal clients in Atlanta as well as Seattle and Portland, where he did live radio and TV work prior to moving to the South. All told, he has about 50 years in the business. His current projects are mostly narrations for
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corporate clients, including special events, overview of the state for potential new businesses and intros for new products. He sees an uptrend in projects to be aired or streamed on the Internet, interactive projects and games. “The talent auditioning for projects is intense,” Klinger said. “Sure. There are ups and downs, but I love every aspect of my work. Marketing, networking, auditioning and winding up in a studio. Bringing the words to life.” With competition as tremendous as it is, a savvy business strategy is to carve out a niche for yourself. “Voiceover artists are entrepreneurs and they need to understand their product (their voices) in order to be successful,” said Judith Sullivan, who at one time was known as “the queen of voiceovers” and now works primarily as a consultant for companies such as CNN and
On the flip side, accents can open doors and win jobs too. Kathy Hardegree, who owns Atlanta Models & Talent, has seen the voiceover business evolve quite a bit in the last 30 years. While she is hesitant to say that the Atlanta voiceover market is growing in all respects, she sees an uptrend in certain areas, including the sub-genre “ethnic advertising.” “There’s been an increase in requests for ethnic voices speaking English,” Hardegree said. “There’s a higher call for authentic voices from other countries, … from India, from Pakistan, from Peru. Also, foreign language voices. There’s more demand for people who are completely fluent in the language of their country of origin, but also have the narrative or the “acting-with-your-voice” skills.”
school’ in my mind. They are very super highly technical facilities and can achieve sounds that are far more complex than a home studio might achieve, i.e. mixing music, sound effects, etc.” Some projects have budget constraints that are satisfied if the voice talent has a home studio and can handle production, making the service a one-stop shop. While this meets the needs of some businesses and is perfectly adequate for some
“THE BIGGEST CHALLENGE IS PROVIDING GOOD SERVICE ALL THE TIME.” The Weather Channel. “Having a good voice is the price of admission into the industry,” she said. “In my experience the voice itself rarely gets one the job. Invariably choices are made due to the ‘read,’ … the way the talent handles the copy.” Sullivan counsels talent to understand their skill set. Do they have a sexy voice? Are they extremely good with kid characters? Do they convey hip or sophisticated? A deep rich voice may be highly marketable. The wider the range, the more copy the talent is “right” for. In general, Sullivan suggests that voiceover artists may want to strive for a non-regional accent, as a southern accent -- or any one accent -- may limit them. “The highest paying work is in national advertising, ads that can be played any place in the country,” she said. “An accent can prevent that from happening.”
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She also sees a trend toward greater quality of talent. “Today, companies and creative people have more choices than in decades past,” she said. “The quality of the individual performers is improving … as a result of the national and global creative market. Media and marketing department heads can access voices worldwide for their projects as a result of technology.” Technology offers the client more choices in production too. Whereas once upon a time, the recording studio was the only way to go, now it is a decision to be weighed. The Internet allows people to sample voice talent online, screen voices and conduct auditions. Typically, most of this is done online today and the recording studio is only a factor in the final production. “A good number of my customers still go to studios,” Hardegree said. “You’ve suggested that studios are ‘old school.’ They are not ‘old
types of voiceover work, it wouldn’t even be a consideration for other higher level work. For one thing, Hardegree said, it sacrifices creative synergy. “The voice talent brings an expertise and creativity to the studio, the engineer brings his expertise, and the producer/director brings their creativity too. They all put that together and hopefully … make magic.” As marketing and media professionals continue to seek high-quality voice talent for their campaigns, commercials and myriad projects, the competition won’t get any less fierce. But the local talent in Georgia prides itself on being every bit as competitive as the Hollywood players and Big Apple brands. In a voice market without boundaries, there may be no reason for companies in the Southeast to venture beyond their own backyard.
COLUMN
OZ
Pushing Back: I want the Job, but… By Jon Lee Andersen
Atlanta has a large spectrum of skilled, highly talented and independent production, post-production and other freelance talent. The talent is often less pricey than similar facilities and people in cities such as Los Angles and New York. It is not surprising that agencies, producers and other creative content providers frequently find their way to Atlanta searching for talent and facilities. Since many of these companies are large and well advised, they frequently arrive with the offer of an assignment . . . and then deliver their 15 page “standard” contract. They suggest that it should just be signed and not necessarily read, as there is no room for negotiation or changes. It “is what it is” and if you want the job, then sign up and get on with it. This may be true, but I believe there is room for push-back on certain provisions; indeed, there are frequently provisions a small firm could actually just not comply with. In that event, the contract is breached from day one! So, here are some typical provisions in contracts offered by Producers (for clarity I will refer to the out-of-town company, agency or firm as the Producer) where I recommend to my clients that they request certain changes, additions or just resist and stand firm in resisting: 1. Insurance – It is not unusual for a Producer’s contract to require both (a) very high levels of basic insurance, such as for General and Automobile liability; and (b) coverage for Errors and Omissions (E & O). My experience is that most small, independent firms cannot buy Errors and Omissions insurance, and if they can, they are staggered by the cost. I suggest that my client make it clear up-front that E & O insurance is not available and must be removed from the contract. 2. Indemnification – This provision usually only runs in favor of the Producer. Depending upon the type of work being done, and given the nature of an aggrieved party to sue everyone remotely associated with a project, I urge my clients to obtain a cross-indemnity from the Producer for liabilities which arise from any materials, products, etc. supplied by the Producer and incorporated into the work at the direction of the Producer. In addition, I normally suggest that there be limits placed upon the amount of indemnification and that it exclude such things as any indirect, consequential, exemplary, special, incidental or punitive damages, including without limitation, loss of use or lost business, revenue, profits, or goodwill. 3. Warranties – The Producer is entitled to a warranty as to the quality and level of workmanship and professionalism, and with the exception of materials supplied by the Producer, the originality and non-infringement of the work. But, there should not be any hint of a warranty as to the success of the work (i.e., the end results of the work).
© February 2008 Jon Lee Andersen
4. Payment – Seldom will a contract proffered by a Producer have any terms concerning penalties for non-payment in time and on schedule. I urge my clients to insist upon terms for interest and fees for late payments, and costs and attorneys’ fees for amounts, which have to be collected through legal processes. 5. Ownership – There is usually no question about who will own all rights to the final product; it is going to belong to the Producer, which is probably as it should be. However, the language framing this issue usually leaves the independent with absolutely nothing, for what could have been the biggest and most prestigious work it has done. Here I suggest that my clients request what I call “reel rights,” which is essentially a royalty-free license allowing the use of the work for promotion of my client and its business. 6. Talent – Since there are some Producers who are more than willing to “poach” a talented employee they discover while working with an independent firm, I suggest that my clients request a non-solicitation clause with respect to their employees as a part of the contract. I recognize that “keeping the main thing the main thing” is the rule, and it might be better to have a slightly egregious contract than no contract at all. Furthermore, it may not be possible to achieve all of the desired deletions, additions or changes to the offered contract. But, I have found that when the reasonableness of the push-back is discussed, it is frequently possible to make the deal more equitable.
Remember: The contract promised big fees And the Producer seemed easy to please But you’d better be careful With 12 pages crammed full ‘Cause you might have to work with Yankees
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Tracy Martin
Sales Consultant tracy@ozonline.tv
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American Intercontinental University - Buckhead p 800 955 2120 www.aiubuckhead.com
Chocolaté – Shallowford Rd p 404-321-0174 www.mychocolatecoffee.com
American Intercontinental University – Dunwoody p 888-574-9888 www.dunwoody.aiuniv.edu Atkins Park - Virginia Highlands Location p 404-876-7249 www.atkinspark.co Binders Art Supplies and Frames p 404-237-6331 www.bindersart.com Borders - Dunwoody p 770-612-0490 www.bordersstores.com Borders - Parkway Point p 770-396-0004 www.bordersstores.com Brewhouse Café p 404-525-779 www.brewhousecafe.com
Chocolaté – N Decatur Rd p 404-982-0790 www.mychocolatecoffee.com Connecticut School of Broadcast, Atlanta p (770) 522-8803 www.gocsb.com E-Six Lab p 404-885-1293 www.e-sixlab.com Everybody’s Pizza p 404-377-7766
Java Monkey www.javamonkeydecatur.com 205 E Ponce De Leon Ave # 5 Decatur, GA 30030 (404) 378-5002 King Plow Arts Center p 404-885-9933 www.kingplow.com Manuel’s Tavern p 404-521-2466 www.manuelstavern.com Meteor p 404-870-6112 www.mtr2.com Movies Worth Seeing p 404-892-1802 Octane Coffee Bar & Lounge www.octanecoffee.com 1009 Marietta St NW Atlanta, GA 30318 (404) 815-9886
Georgia State University www.gsu.edu
Pearl Art & Craft Supply p 404 233 9400 www.pearlpaint.com
IMAGE Film & Video Center p 404-352-4225 www.imagefv.org
Portfolio Center p 404-351-5055 www.portfoliocenter.com
Imagers p 404-351-5800 www.imagers.com
Professional Photo Resources p 404-885-1885 www.ppratlanta.com
Retrotechs p 404-352-6210 www.retrotechs.com Sam Ash p 800-472-6274 www.samash.com Sam Flax p 404-352-7220 www.samflaxsouth.com Showcase p 800-886-1976 www.showcaseinc.com Southern Dairies Building p 404.601.9500 621 North Avenue Tape Warehouse (770) 458-1679 www.tapewarehouse.com 11:11 Teahouse p 404-521-1911 753 Edgewood Ave NE Thinking Man’s Tavern p 404-370-1717 www.thinkingmantavern.com Utrecht Art Supplies 404-347-3113 www.utrechtart.com/stores Winter Properties p 404 -223-5015 www.winterconst.com
ASSOCIATION PARTNERS VISIT THESE ASSOCIATIONS FOR GREAT NETWORKING OPPORTUNITIES ADVERTISING PHOTOGRAPHERS OF AMERICA ATLANTA CHAPTER (APA/A) http://atlanta.apanational.com
CREATIVITY ATLANTA: THE ADVERTISING & CREATIVE CLUB www.creativityatlanta.org
THE DIRECT MARKETING ASSOCIATION(DMA ATLANTA) www.the-dma.org/chapters/atlantachapter.shtml#b
AMERICAN INSTITUE OF GRAPHIC ARTS (AIGA) ATLANTA www. aiga-atl.org
ATLANTA MACINTOSH USERS GROUP (AMUG) www.amugonline.org
THE FREELANCE FORUM www.freelanceforum.org
AMERICAN MARKETING ASSOCIATION ATLANTA CHAPTER www.ama-atlanta.com
MEDIA COMMUNICATIONS ASSOCIATION INTERNATIONAL ATLANTA (MCAI) www.mcaiatlanta.org
AMERICAN SOCIETY OF MEDIA PHOTOGRAPHERS (ASMP) www.asmpatlanta.org
BUSINESS MARKETING ASSOCIATION ATLANTA CHAPTER www.bmaatlanta.com
ATLANTA INTERACTIVE MARKETING ASSOCIATION (AIMA) www.atlantaima.org
GEORGIA PRODUCTION PARTNERSHIP www.georgiaproduction.org THE INTERACTIVE MEDIA ALLIANCE (TIMA) www.tima.org
THE NATIONAL ACADEMY OF TELEVISION ARTS AND SCIENCES (NATAS) ATLANTA CHAPTER www.natassoutheast.tv PUBLIC RELATIONS SOCIETY OF AMERICA - GEORGIA CHAPTER www.prsageorgia.org SOCIETY FOR TECHNICAL COMMUNICATION (STC) ATLANTA CHAPTER www.stcatlanta.org WOMEN IN FILM/ATLANTA www.wifa.org
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oz back cover(jan 08)retroguy.pdf
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